Simone Lawson
The US Constitution was founded on four key principles: popular sovereignty, republicanism, separation of powers, and federalism. Popular sovereignty is the idea that power is vested in the people, who can exercise their power through elected representatives. Republicanism refers to a form of government where power is shared between national and state governments. Separation of powers divides the government into three branches: the legislature, which makes the laws; the executive, which enforces the laws; and the judiciary, which interprets the laws. Federalism, meanwhile, establishes a system of constitutional government with power divided between the states and an overarching federal government. These principles, outlined at Philadelphia in 1787, aimed to prevent tyranny and protect individual rights and liberties.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Checks and Balances | Each branch of the government "checks" that the other two branches are functioning within their given powers and that responsibilities are balanced among them. |
| Federalism | A system of constitutional government in which power is divided into layers with several states on one level and an overarching federal government on another with authority balanced between the state and federal governments. |
| Limited Government | The government has only the powers granted to it in the Constitution, and it can only conduct actions permitted by the Constitution. |
| Popular Sovereignty | The government is made by the people and exists to represent, protect, and serve them. |
| Republicanism | A form of government where power is shared between the national and state governments. |
| Separation of Powers | The national government is divided into three branches: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. |
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Checks and balances
The US Constitution is founded on the principle of checks and balances, which ensures that no one group of people becomes too powerful. This system is designed to prevent tyranny and protect individual rights and liberties. The national government is divided into three independent yet co-equal branches, each with its own responsibilities, including overseeing the other branches. The three branches are:
- The Legislature: This branch, also known as Congress, is responsible for making laws. The legislature has the power to confirm appointments made by the president, initiate constitutional amendments, and impeach, try, convict, and remove from office any member of the judiciary.
- The Executive: Headed by the President, this branch is responsible for carrying out and enforcing the laws. The executive branch also includes the President's cabinet and other agencies that help implement policies.
- The Judiciary: Headed by the Supreme Court, this branch interprets the laws and ensures that they are constitutional. The judiciary has the power to declare actions of any member of the executive branch, including the President, unconstitutional.
Each branch "checks" that the other two branches are functioning within their given powers and that responsibilities are balanced among them. For example, the legislature can amend, delay, or reject the President's legislation, override the President's veto, and control the budget. The executive branch, through the President, can veto legislation passed by Congress, and the judiciary can strike down laws or actions that it deems unconstitutional. These checks and balances ensure that power is shared and balanced between the branches, preventing any one branch from having too much power.
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Federalism
The Constitution's federalist system was designed to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which preceded it. The Articles of Confederation had established a weak national government, with limited powers and authority. The Constitution's federalist system aimed to create a stronger national government while still allowing state governments to address local issues.
The federal government generally refers to the central national authority. Power is shared between the national and state governments, with the former having powers such as law-making, law execution, and law enforcement, and the latter having powers to address local issues. The Constitution grants power to the federal government, outlining its functions and responsibilities, and also places limits on its powers.
The Constitution's federalist system is based on the principle that power originates with the people, and it is the people who give the government its power. This is reflected in the idea of popular sovereignty, which is stressed in the Preamble to the Constitution, where it is stated that the government is made by the people and exists to represent, protect, and serve them.
The federalist system aims to balance the authority between the state and federal governments, ensuring that no single individual or group can abuse their powers. It also allows for a division of powers, with the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government each having separate functions and responsibilities. This separation of powers is a key feature of federalism, providing a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch or group from becoming too powerful.
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Limited government
One of the key principles on which the US Constitution is founded is that of limited government. This principle is based on the belief that the government should only have the powers explicitly granted to it by the Constitution and should only be able to take actions permitted by the Constitution. This is in contrast to a system of absolute power, where a ruler or government has unrestricted authority.
The idea of limited government is closely tied to the concept of separation of powers, which divides the national government into three independent and co-equal branches: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. Each branch has separate personnel, with no individual allowed to be a member of more than one branch simultaneously. This separation of institutions aims to prevent the concentration of power in a single person or group, thus protecting against tyranny and ensuring that the government functions within the boundaries set by the Constitution.
The legislative branch, comprising the Congress, is responsible for making laws. The executive branch, headed by the President, carries out and enforces these laws. The judiciary, led by the Supreme Court, interprets the laws and ensures that the other branches act within their constitutional limits. This system of checks and balances allows each branch to hold the others accountable and maintain a balance of power.
The principle of limited government also recognises the role of federalism, where power is shared between the national and state governments. In this system, known as federal government, the national government has authority over certain matters, while state governments retain the power to address local issues. This distribution of power across multiple levels of government further limits the concentration of power in any single entity and ensures that decisions are made at the appropriate level.
The framers of the Constitution intended to create a strong national government while also empowering state governments to handle regional concerns. By dividing governmental power and establishing checks and balances, they sought to prevent tyranny and protect the rights and liberties of citizens. This principle of limited government, as Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers, stated, "that government is best which governs least", reflects a desire to strike a balance between effective governance and the preservation of individual freedoms.
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Popular sovereignty
The framers of the Constitution wanted to create a system of government that would prevent tyranny they had experienced under the rule of the British monarchy. They believed that power should begin with the people and that citizens should have a voice in the government. To ensure this, they established a form of government where people vote for representatives such as Congress, the President, and Vice President, and some judges.
The framers of the Constitution also wanted to ensure that national leaders were bound by the Constitution and national law. They established basic rights, freedoms, and liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, which cannot be taken away by any laws. This principle, also stated in the Declaration of Independence, recognises that all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The principle of popular sovereignty is reflected in the structure of the US government, with power shared between the national and state governments. The national government is divided into three branches: the legislative, which makes the laws; the executive, which enforces the laws; and the judicial, which interprets the laws. These branches are designed to be independent yet co-equal, with separate personnel, to promote the concept of limited government and prevent any individual or group from abusing their powers.
Overall, popular sovereignty in the US Constitution reflects the belief that the government should be accountable to the people and that citizens should have the power to make decisions and hold their representatives responsible for governing according to the law.
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Republicanism
The US Constitution outlines a federal system of government, with power divided between layers of state and federal authorities. The federal government, or central national authority, is comprised of three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch, or Congress, makes the laws. The executive branch, headed by the President, carries out or enforces the laws. The judicial branch, headed by the Supreme Court, interprets the laws.
Each of these branches has its own responsibilities, including overseeing the other branches. This is the system of checks and balances, which ensures that no one branch or individual becomes too powerful. This system also allows for the promotion of the concept of limited government, as no branch can exceed the powers granted to it in the Constitution.
The principle of Republicanism, as outlined in the US Constitution, thus ensures that governmental power is shared between national and state governments, and further divided between three separate branches, each with its own distinct responsibilities and powers.
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